1989 Ford Tempo Reviews - Page 14 of 14

1989 Ford Tempo GL 2.3 from North America

Summary:

A high performance bargain

Faults:

I have had to replace the starter.

The alternator just went out.

Replaced one transmission mount.

The A/C clutch went out at 80,000.

General Comments:

This is the best 1st time car for anyone! I have put this car through hell and it won't die. Starts up every morning in under 3 revolutions!! I do regular maintnence (oil changes...). Everyone calls Tempos crap - not true.

General Comments:

Great little car for the teens when they first start to drive, or a "winter car" for those persons who have snow. I call it "the MouseTrap" and it keeps going and going and going. Got it for free from my sister in 1999 and it had 34K miles on it. Now has 88K.

28th Jul 2001, 21:04

21st Oct 2002, 20:04

Hello, I'm sorry you have had such problems with your tempo. I own a 89 tempo also and love it. On the other had, Be thankful you don't own an Escort... talk about the Ford problem car... I truly believe that is the sole reason why the Ford company has not gone broke. Good luck in the future...Ash.

14th Dec 2002, 11:01

I also have an 89 Ford Tempo that has had SO MANY things go wrong with it, you'd think it isn't really a car. Maybe a tricycle with a fake motor? I bought this car from an elderly couple that say they hardly drove it, well now I know why. I haven't even had the car a year and already the motor has had to be replaced, along with the alternator, battery and a number of other things, the list could truly go on. I've had 6 cars in my lifetime and this one has truly been the worst. I have heard that Ford cars do break down a lot. I don't plan on buying another Ford car in the future. I am trading this stupid car in, and if I'm lucky, I may actually get a penny or two for it.

1989 Ford Tempo GL 2.3 gas from North America

Faults:

General Comments:

Had a lot of problems - may have been from the mileage. Got it at 144K and had it until 160K with no repair history. Still convinced it had an undetected electrical problem that caused the alternator to fail so many times.

28th Apr 2001, 12:43

I don't think your car has an undetected electrical problem. I've replaced my alternator 3x. Don't have p/w or p/l. First alt went under warranty (9k), second at (27k), and third at (53k). Everything has a weakness, and this is the Tempo's.

12th Jan 2002, 13:29

Not quite. A Tempo's weakness is that it is a Ford. I had so many problems with my '86 that I wanted to wreck the thing and be rid of it.

An electrical problem... in a Tempo? Geez. No way! That is the #1 problem with these cars. They stall at stoplights, stall when they're cold, heck-mine would stall if you hit the brakes too hard! I had to replace the ignition, distributer, module, coil, cap, rotor, plugs, plug wires, about 10 sensors (average $55 a piece), and the thing still didn't run. And with 55,000 miles on it, too.